Mahou Shoujo Sayaka Magica
by UnendingEmpire
Summary: A slightly yet heavily modified story. Little changes make big differences, and it will show in this alternate universe where Sayaka is the main character instead of Madoka, Homura isn't a time-traveller, and so on. Rated T for future gory death.
1. Chapter 1: Dreamscape of Nightmare

**Since this is an alternate-universe fanfic, I try to keep some of the same general events in. On that note, this is my only fanfic where I've actually HAD to make an alternate universe, and it's ironically one of only two fanfics I write that isn't Touhou (the other is a Yu-Gi-Oh fanfic, but that's very unlikely to see a second chapter)**

**Hopefully I did a good job at combining original events with an altered version of the story. I'd like to thank a friend of mine for giving me important ideas that will come into play later on in this fanfic; I'd list his username for this site, but I don't know if he's registered.**

**Oblivion, you know who you are ;)**

* * *

Running…running…where was she going, anyway? Sayaka had no idea. This entire hallway was just checkered perfectly on every surface and seemed to go on forever. There had to be an end, though. That was the only real reason Sayaka kept running. Even if this hallway never ended, Sayaka would keep running in this bizarre place. She could reach the end of the hallway. She _would_ reach the end of the hallway!

And just as she blinked, her surroundings changed. The perfect checkerboard décor remained, but she was now in the center of a room, with four staircases arranged perfectly around her. Three of them lead up to another hallway, and Sayaka couldn't see anything past that. The fourth one, however; the one right in front of her…there was a bright green EXIT sign above a door. Anybody could figure out that this was the exit, and so Sayaka approached the door. It was cold to her touch, and hard to open. But with a push, the door opened wide and Sayaka's eyes widened to the scene in front of her…

This ruined city…was this Mitakihara? It certainly resembled her hometown, but at the same time it couldn't have been. All was dark and bleak, and massive chunks of buildings were floating in midair! Worst of all was the dark figure floating on the horizon. She couldn't make it out very well, but whatever that thing was, it was big, and it seemed to radiate a feeling of danger all the way to Sayaka, sending a chill down her spine. "This…I can't take this!"

"We can't do anything about it. It's too much for her, but I'm sure she's prepared."

Sayaka turned to the source of the voice. A strange-looking cat-like creature with a fully white body save a red marking on his back and the pink tips of his ears. But this girl that he was talking about…Sayaka didn't see anybody down there. But now that she focused…there! There was a girl holding some kind of spear, but Sayaka couldn't quite make her out beyond that. "There's no way she can fight that thing! We need to help her!" Not much later did a chunk of building fall from the dark sky, right onto that girl. There was no way she could have survived that!

"It's only over once you give up. But you can change your destiny. The death and destruction here are inevitable. You just need to change that. You have the power to prevent this."

"Do I? Can I, as only one person, really prevent all this?"

"Of course. If you want to, please make a contract with me and become a Puella Magi!"

"…what do I-"

* * *

_BRIIIIIIING! BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!_ Sayaka's alarm clock. Eyes still closed, Sayaka's arm reached out and turned the alarm off. Today was a school day. Sitting up with one loud yawn, she took a few seconds to rub the sleep out of her eyes. "It was only a dream…"

* * *

It was a pretty nice day out today. A bit early for Sayaka's taste, but she wasn't the kind to be fully awake before noon anyway, so that was to be expected. She and her friend Hitomi were heading out to school, and the two could see the building from where they stood. "Where's Madoka," Sayaka asked. Not seconds later was her question answered by a voice calling out from behind the two.

"Good morning!"

"Madoka! You're slow." For a moment there, Sayaka had the feeling Madoka would be late. Nice to see that she caught up, though. "Your ribbons look so cute."

"Really? Aren't they too colorful?" Madoka seemed a teensy bit embarrassed.

"I think they look great," Hitomi said.

* * *

**Meanwhile, somewhere not quite near the school…**

That was one more. Another Witch bit the dust, and another Grief Seed dropped for Kyoko to collect. She would keep doing this, only because it was her duty and obligation as a Puella Magi. But at what cost? Nobody else should have their greatest wish turned against them, and that was exactly what Kyubey did whenever somebody made a wish. It recently hit her that Kyubey would probably keep recruiting new Puella Magi. Kyoko had to stop him. Nobody needed their hopes turned on them like this, and it would also mean more competition for hunting Witches and claiming the reward for such. Less Grief Seeds meant less power, so Kyoko had to do something about it.

She'd been following Kyubey's footsteps for a while, and even if she was quite a ways behind him, she could tell that he was here, in this town. There was already another Puella Magi here…Mami. They'd met before, but not for long. By this point in time, Kyoko couldn't even remember the circumstances in which the two met, but that wasn't a point of any concern yet. Mami was an okay person, but she and Kyubey were friends…no big deal. To make an omelet, one had to break a few eggs.

* * *

**Numerous hours later; café…**

"Oh, look at the time," Hitomi said, a bit surprised it was already that time. Getting up out of her seat, the green-haired girl said "Excuse me, I have to leave now."

"Do you have piano lessons today," Sayaka asked. "Or Japanese dance class?"

"I have to study tea. We'll be tested soon. I don't know how long I'll be able to study there."

"It must be nice to be born into a middle-class family." That statement was partially to herself, but she hoped that Hitomi heard her as the girl was leaving.

"We should leave too," Madoka said as she got out of her seat.

Getting up to her feet as well, Sayaka asked "Madoka, can we go to the CD store on our way home?"

"Okay. You want to get something for Kamijo again, huh?"

"Well, probably."

* * *

The CD store. Sayaka was here to get a classical CD. People generally didn't think of her as the type to enjoy such kinds of music, but there's more to people than what can be seen. That was her general train of thought as Sayaka put a pair of headphones over her ears and listened to some samples of what she was looking for. Then came the unexpected part. A voice that sounded as though it spoke directly into her mind.

"Help me!"

That shocked her a bit. It was probably one of those instances where a perfectly sane person hears a voice in their head for a second, and then it never-

"Help me! Sayaka!"

And then it never _would_ happen again. Sadly, that didn't seem to be the case. The voice speaking in her head, or the fact that it knew her name…Sayaka had trouble picking out which was more troubling. And this voice sounded familiar somehow, like something she'd heard once before…

"Help me!"

Sayaka had to investigate. She would come back for the CD, but it wasn't impossible that her own mental well-being was at stake here! Sayaka took the headphones off, and started out of the CD store. She kept following the voice, listening for it to get louder or softer, and basing her directions off of that alone. Much to her surprise, Sayaka was soon lead to a staircase blocked off by velvet ropes and a sign that warned people that the floor was closed for renovations, with a door right at the top of the stairs. But whoever was calling for her help, they were back there; behind the door and in whatever room waited for her. Rules be damned, Sayaka told herself as she started up the stairs.

The room she found herself in was dark. Renovations were indeed going on. Sayaka looked throughout the room, keeping to a straight-ahead path. "Hello?" No answer. Hopefully whoever was calling for her help, they were still okay. But then again, why would an okay person call for help? More importantly, how could they speak straight into Sayaka's mind like that?

Her questions were answered when part of the ceiling fell out, and with it, a strange-looking creature. He was wounded, whatever he was, and it looked like somebody had tried to kill him. "Help me…"

"Leave him alone," somebody said. Following that was the sound of some kind of snack being munched on, and footsteps. In stepped a red-haired girl with a spear in one hand and a half-eaten pocky stick in her mouth. "This isn't any of your business. Get lost."

"I can't leave him here," Sayaka said, picking up the creature. "He's really hurt! He talked straight into my head; he told me to help!" A split second later, Sayaka found that the tip of this redhead's spear was just inches from her throat.

"The only help he'll give you is tearing your life apart from the inside out." Taking another bite out of her pocky stick, the tip of the spear moved to the creature's neck. "I'll be doing you a favor by killing him. He'll promise you a miracle, and all you'll get-"

"Sayaka!" Madoka ran into the room, stopping at her friend's side. "Are you okay?"

"…" The spear-wielding girl didn't look pleased. "I'll let you go this time," she said angrily. "But next time, you'd better drop him like a bad habit." And off she ran. She had better things to do than argue with these people. She couldn't just kill them, though, and they obviously weren't willing to let Kyubey go, so the only option was to let it be this one time.

"I'm glad that's done," Sayaka said. But just as she turned around, something bizarre happened. The hallway changed drastically; now she and Madoka found themselves in a strange place with floating windows, butterflies, and other assorted things scattered throughout. "What? Where's the emergency exit? Where are we?"

"What's going on in here," Madoka asked. "The hallways are changing dramatically!"

"I've had enough!"

"Sayaka, there's something there!" The two turned to find the strangest thing either had seen. They looked like cotton balls with mustaches, attached to stick-figure bodies with butterflies for legs. Given this bizarre scene Madoka and Sayaka found themselves in, these odd creatures were actually pretty scary. And next thing they knew, they were surrounded on all sides, with these creatures closing in.

"This isn't real, right?" Terror shone in Sayaka's voice as scissors attached to barbed wire started coming out of the ground to further add to how surreal this place was. "Madoka, I'm having a nightmare, right?" The seconds felt like years to both Madoka and Sayaka, but after not even one of those seconds, chains began falling, surrounding the two. And right after that, light burst out from those chains, protecting them somehow.

"That was really dangerous, but you're safe now." In stepped another girl, with blonde hair styled into spiraling pigtails on either side of her head. Then she noted the creature in Sayaka's arms. "Wow, you saved Kyubey? Thank you, he's an important friend of mine. Based on your uniforms, I assume you two are from Mitakihara."

"Who are you?"

"Right, I need to introduce myself first. But, before that…let me take care of something." A bright flash of light shone, and when it subsided, this girl was in an elegant outfit. The next few seconds, much to the surprise that could be seen on the faces of Madoka and Sayaka, consisted of countless flintlock rifles appearing out of thin air and unleashing a virtual wall of bullets on the cotton-ball creatures.

The two were amazed at this display, and relieved when the hallway went back to normal. "I-It's back to normal," Sayaka proclaimed. And soon after, that red-haired girl showed up again!

"The Witch has already fled," the blonde said. "If you want to kill her, please go after her as soon as possible."

"…"

* * *

**Some time later…**

Three girls, all finding themselves sitting around the wounded creature. This blonde was healing him, and the process was just finishing up.

"Thank you, Mami! You saved me!"

"You should thank these two," Mami said. "I was just passing by."

Turning to Madoka and Sayaka, the creature said "Thank you very much! My name is Kyubey!"

"So you were the one calling me," Sayaka asked.

"That's right, Sayaka Miki. And you, Madoka Kaname too."

"Why do you know our names?"

"There's something I want you to do for me. I want you to make contracts with me and become Puella Magi! I can make anything you wish come true."

"Huh? Really?"

"You can wish for anything. I can make any miracle come true!"

* * *

**Writing this fanfic is actually pretty enjoyable because I get to watch the anime a lot for reference. I also write well when listening to songs by ZUN, which I think usually gives my fanfics a Touhou-esque flavor. That's a great flavor to have, especially for a different series!**

**Also, did you like how I altered the dream sequence in the beginning? The big figure in her dream could be Walpurgisnacht or even Oktavia, but truth be told, I just did that as quasi-filler because I'm very OCD about the length of chapters I write. On one final note before I change the subject, you may notice the chapter title says "Episode" instead of "Chapter" and this is for a simple reason. I intend to follow the same general plot for Madoka, albeit with plenty of alterations to suit Sayaka's story, including one twist I doubt anybody will see coming aside from the genius who helped me conceive it...well, I'll stand true to the anime's plot for the first three episodes at least, minus Homura being the one hunting Kyubey and etc.**

**On that note, Homura might actually not appear in this fanfic, which you might have already figured when Kyoko was hunting Kyubey in her stead. Since we're still on the topic, this takes place along the original timeline with her moe counterpart; the one where she first made her wish, with the only change here being that Madoka hasn't made her wish. If Homura does appear, expect her role to be minor, or even just a cameo (for now, at least!) Sorry, but them's the breaks.**


	2. Chapter 2: First Lesson

**This is the longest wait time for a second chapter that I can think of to be honest. I'm sure there was a fanfic with a longer wait, but I don't quite recall it. I start to diverge a teensy bit from the original plot in this chapter, and it will become clearer that I intend to change things during the next chapter. MUCH clearer.**

**Also, notice that I went off the "Episode X" bit in the chapter titles? Decided "screw that I'll do it regularly; this is too complicated"**

* * *

_BRIIIIIIIING! BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING! BRIIIIIIII-click._

Rise and shine. Yesterday was bizarre, and Sayaka didn't even head back to the CD store; she went straight home and passed out the second she finished speaking with Mami. "Another crazy dream," she said to herself with a yawn as she got herself into a sitting position. Then it hit her. The feeling that somebody was looking straight at her. Sayaka turned around, and much to her surprise, was met with Kyubey's bright red eyes staring unblinkingly at her.

"Morning, Sayaka!"

* * *

**The previous evening…**

"Wow!" Mami's room was quite the place!

"Make yourselves at home," Mami said. "Nobody else lives here. I wasn't really ready to have guests, though." Before long, the trio (quartet if one counted Kyubey as well) were sitting around a triangular table, enjoying cake and tea.

"This is really good, Mami," Madoka happily said.

"It's delicious," Sayaka added.

"Thank you," Mami said with a light nod. "Being chosen by Kyubey means you're involved in this. I think we need to get some explanations out of the way."

"Sure! What should I explain?"

"I think you have it backwards," Madoka said with a light laugh in her voice.

Mami moved one of her hands from atop the other to reveal a bright yellow gem, followed by a compliment from Madoka on it's beauty. "This is a Soul Gem. They're created when a girl chosen by Kyubey forms a contract. It's the source of your magic power and the emblem of a Puella Magi."

"What kind of contract," Sayaka asked

"I can grant any single wish of yours," Kyubey said.

"Really?"

"Any wish," Madoka asked.

"The sky is the limit. I'll make any miracle come true!"

"Hmm…" Cue wild fantasies in Sayaka's head. "Fabulous riches…eternal youth…Chinese delicacies…" Any of those things sounded great. She could now easily see herself standing atop a mountain of riches, with all the wealth in the world right there in the palm of her hands! With such a fortune, anything that money could buy was practically hers; all she would have to do is buy it. Visions darted through her mind of living forever, without even having to consider aging for a split second. When the greatest developments in history came about, Sayaka would be able to proudly say decades later in her young body that she saw it in person. As for the Chinese delicacies…maybe that wasn't her finest moment of judgment.

Madoka didn't think so either. "I'm not so sure about that last one…"

"But the price is the Soul Gem," Kyubey continued. "If you have one, you have to fight against the Witches."

"Witches," Sayaka asked. "So what's a Witch? How are they different from Puella Magi?"

"Well, you could say Puella Magi are made from wishes, whereas Witches are made from curses. The way Puella Magi shower hope around them, Witches spread despair. And they're very dangerous because normal people can't see them. Worry and doubt, strong anger and hatred, they bring those seeds of disaster into the world."

"It's quite possible that most motiveless murder and suicide cases are caused by witches' curses," Mami continued. Her expression was grim as she explained the nature of Witches. "They turn into a formless malice and infect humans from within."

"So how come nobody notices these dangerous things running around," Sayaka asked.

"Witches hide inside magical barriers and don't show themselves to humans," Kyubey answered. "The maze-like place you wandered into was one of those. That was quite dangerous. Normal people who enter don't usually come out."

"Do you fight those things?"

"Yes," Mami said. "With my life. I think you two should choose carefully. Being chosen by Kyubey means you can have any single wish granted, but taking that is flirting with death" Sayaka and Madoka looked kind of worried now that Mami had put it that way. "How about this? How would you like to go on a witch hunt with me? You can see what fighting a Witch is like for yourself. Then you can decide if you have a wish that's worth the risk."

* * *

**Right now…**

The roof of Mitakihara Middle School had a great view. It was also a good place to think for some thanks to a high altitude. Sayaka had to think right now, but this was a good spot to come to during break even if she didn't have to. And like usual, Madoka joined her. Today, though, there was a second addition to the group; Kyubey. "It's a tough decision," Sayaka said. "I can think of so many things I want, but none that I'd be willing to risk my life for." Sayaka stood up. The best view could be obtained right at the fence on the roof, so she headed over there.

"That's unusual," Kyubey said. "Most people would consider themselves lucky."

"I think we're just ignorant in bliss. I don't think it's that unusual. A wish you'd give your life for? There are plenty of people in the world with those. We don't have wishes because we don't really know misfortune. We're ignorant because we're spoiled…why us?" Turning to look back at Kyubey, she continued "Don't you think it's unfair? There are other people out there who want this."

"…"

_CRUNCH!_ Somebody was munching on something, and purposely bit down on her food loud enough to announce her presence. Out stepped yesterday's red-haired assailant, dressed in a green hoodie, short shorts, and a pair of brown boots.

"Kyoko Sakura," Kyubey said. "Hello again."

"You two are best off not making those contracts," Kyoko said, a brown bag in one hand and a half-eaten apple in the other. "I'm sure you'll regret it." It was for everybody's good; the good of these two girls, as well as Kyoko's own. "Don't even think about making a contract with Kyubey. If you even try it, and the Witches don't kill you, _I_ will."

"You've got some nerve," Sayaka said angrily. "Kyubey came to us, not the other way around. If we want our wish granted, we have every right to make that contract."

"…" Kyoko didn't look happy with this response. Stepping up to Sayaka, she said "Get this into your head, alright? Being a Puella Magi is dangerous business, so you two with your happy little lives have no business making a contract." In a bright flash of light, Kyoko was in her red costume from the other day; her outfit as a Puella Magi. "I don't have any business with you two, so don't get in my way. I'm just here-" _BANG!_ Kyoko barely had time to dodge the bullet. Her head whipped toward the source of the bullet, and her face covered in a scowl when she found herself looking at Mami. No point in trying to fight Mami from this distance. "Damn…" There was just no winning for her in this hunt for Kyubey. "Consider yourselves lucky. My fight's not with anybody besides Kyubey and Witches, so you're safe this one last time. Next time I'll cut you down like a Witch if you're in my way."

* * *

**After school; café…**

"Now then," Mami said. "This is your first hands-on Puella Magi lesson. Let's be enthusiastic! Are you ready?"

"I'm not sure what you mean by ready," Sayaka said, reaching down to something sitting next to her. "But I brought this!" The bottom of a wrapped item hit the table with a thud, and Sayaka unveiled it to reveal a baseball bat. It wasn't like Sayaka had any real weapons lying around at home. "I figured it was better than nothing."

"Ah…I'm glad you're prepared for battle." Mami looked kind of skeptical, though. No reason not to; conventional weapons probably didn't do much against Witches.

"Fill me in, though. What's the story with this Kyoko that keeps coming after Kyubey? Isn't she also a Puella Magi? How come she's trying to kill Kyubey and stop us from making contracts?"

"Yes, but she appears to have something against Kyubey. I can't tell for sure what it is, but it must be quite a grudge if she's willing to threaten people with their lives to get her hands on Kyubey. If she doesn't want you to make contracts, it stands to reason that she simply doesn't want him to create any more Puella Magi."

"What good would that do? Aren't we all on the same side here?"

"Yes and no. There are rewards for killing a Witch, and they're best reaped alone. While Puella Magi can most certainly work together, they can also be in conflict, much like how Kyoko and I are now in conflict because of her numerous attempts on Kyubey's life. If either of you were to make a contract, it would mean more competition for those rewards."

"What sort of rewards," Sayaka asked. Money? Longer life? Power? If Sayaka made a contract, simply being able to protect people from Witches and defend justice would be reward enough for her, but she doubted somebody like Kyoko would kill Witches just to be a hero.

"Perhaps it would be better to show you rather than explain. Are you two ready to go?"

Practically leaping up to her feet, Sayaka said "Let's hunt down some Witches!"

* * *

**Some time later; streets of Mitakihara…**

The quartet of Madoka, Sayaka, Mami, and Kyubey still hadn't found the Witch. "It hasn't changed at all," Sayaka said, looking at Mami's Soul Gem.

"Well, that Witch got away. The trail's a day old, so it's not very strong. If I had chased it yesterday, I might have been able to take it out, but saving you came first."

"I'm sorry…" Madoka said.

"Don't be."

"That's how you know Mami's a good guy," Sayaka said with enthusiasm in her voice and a baseball bat in her hand. "Unlike that Kyoko! She makes me sick!" For some time, the two kept walking in their search. They weren't getting anywhere, and the sun was sinking lower with every second…not that it meant much. "Mami, do you have any idea where the Witch could be?"

"The Witch's curse is strongest with traffic accidents and injuries, so I check at intersections and places where a fight is likely to break out. Otherwise, unpopular places that lend themselves to suicide. And the worst place is the hospital; the most vulnerable people are gathered there. Lives to be drained and minds to be influenced." Then Mami's Soul Gem began to increase in the brightness of its glow. "The pulse is getting brighter. It must be close."

* * *

**Some time later; an abandoned building…**

Mami's Soul Gem pulsed brightly as the group stood in front of the building. "It must be here."

"Mami, look!" Sayaka pointed up to the roof. Somebody was standing at the edge, and it looked like they were getting ready to jump! And, wouldn't one know it, she jumped.

Mami leapt into action. In seconds, Mami was transformed into a Puella Magi and catching this jumping girl in a net of bright yellow ribbons. Slowly, Mami lowered her to the ground, and when she connected, Mami dispersed the ribbons. Observing her body, Mami found a red butterfly-shaped marking on her neck. "A Witch's kiss. I knew it." Getting up to her feet, Mami said "Don't worry. She's just unconscious. Come on." The trio ran through the doorway into the building. The Witch must have been hiding out in here…

* * *

**Right, Gertrud is coming up soon, but I intend to heavily shorten that fight because of how odd Gertrud's animation was. Having said that, expect fights against other Witches to turn out quite differently than they did in the anime. Especially those with Charlotte and Oktavia.**

**I refuse to divulge the differing outcomes, but without Homura to be the cold Puella Magi who saves the day from Charlotte…you get where this is going, right?**

**Now that I'm thinking about Episode 3, Sayaka's engrish is just the most adorable thing in the world.**

**E-YESSU!**


	3. Chapter 3: Witch Hunt

**I have two announcements, both pertaining to how fast this fanfic will progress. A: I'm moving and am not sure how this will affect my ability to access the internet. B: I finish up with Episode 2 here, and it's only those first two episodes that are awkward. Once Charlotte comes into the picture, things will move along rather quickly. I'm gonna try to not have too many author notes on this fanfic to avoid precious spoilers, but if I haven't already said I intend on a bittersweet ending rather than the usual happy endings that make even my darkest fanfics warm-hearted in the end, I'm saying it now.**

* * *

There it was; the entrance to the Witch's lair. It looked like a solid circle just floating in the air at the top of the stairs with a red butterfly on it similar to the one Mami saw on the girl's neck just moments ago. That was how one got inside a Witch's magical barrier. "I'll get you today." Her next move; grip Sayaka's baseball bat. In her grip, the regular wooden sports tool turned into a stunning silver club with a wonderful pink crystal embedded into the widest part. Sayaka and Madoka both certainly looked shocked.

"Amazing!" Sayaka wanted to be able to do that. That wasn't something she was willing to become a Puella Magi over, though. She wanted to be very careful in picking her wish. There were so many questions she had to ask about what were and weren't against the rules of making the contract, but she already had a specific wish in mind. For now, though, she had to focus. She was only human, after all, and she'd been warned that regular people who go into a Witch's lair usually don't come out.

"It's not much," Mami said, heading up the stairs. "But at least it'll help protect you." Once she was up at the top, she turned around and said "Don't stray too far from me."

"Okay!" Sayaka ran up the stairs with her shiny new weapon her hands, followed by Madoka with Kyubey in hers. And together the trio leapt through the barrier. It was time to see just what a witch hunt was like.

* * *

This place was like an entirely different world. A strange world with such strange creatures, most of which were the cotton ball monsters from when Mami first introduced herself. Those weren't all, though. As the trio proceeded up a staircase in this bizarre place, they encountered what looked like floating blobs with moustaches, butterfly wings, and quite a few eyes on them. They were creepy, but Mami was easily able to shoot them down before they could do anything. Up so many staircases and through so many hallways…this place was like a gigantic labyrinth. Sayaka hoped that Mami knew where she was going. The last thing she wanted was to get lost in a place like this.

"Are you afraid," Mami asked.

"I'm just fine, thanks!" She didn't want to admit it, but Sayaka was scared. Just this place unnerved her, and the creatures that inhabited it made matters worse for Sayaka's attempt to hide her fear. She simply had to stay strong, though. If she couldn't make it through here, she wouldn't make it as a Puella Magi. There were many wishes she wanted granted, and she was trying to narrow it down to just one, but that was far easier said than done. If Kyubey was able to grant any wish imaginable, Sayaka wanted to use her one miracle wisely. With any luck, that Kyoko girl wouldn't get in the way again. Her words still echoed in Sayaka's thoughts.

_"Don't even think about making a contract with Kyubey. If you even try it, and the Witches don't kill you, I will."_

Was she really willing to kill other Puella Magi just for becoming what they willingly chose to be? Did collecting those rewards mean that much to Kyoko?

_"Being a Puella Magi is dangerous business, so you two with your happy little lives have no business making a contract."_

It wasn't like she had any business telling Sayaka and Madoka what was and wasn't their business. Just thinking about the nerve that girl had made Sayaka cringe a bit in anger. It forced Mami to do most of the work defending the two relatively defenseless girls in the group, but it wasn't like Sayaka could just forget that the encounter ever happened.

_"Next time I'll cut you down like a Witch if you're in my way."_

Sayaka had to ask. "Mami…can there be such a thing as an evil Puella Magi?" The entire team froze in their tracks. Was there such a thing?

"That's quite a question," Mami said, continually shooting the various wicked creatures that filled this labyrinth-like lair. "There are certainly Puella Magi whose morals are less than standard, but I don't know if I'd go so far as to call them evil. All Puella Magi have the same general goal, which is to combat and defeat Witches, which is a benevolent action in itself. I suppose that every tree bears a few rotten fruits, though." This was a pretty heavy-hearted topic of conversation, though. Not the best thing to talk about here. "Come on. We're almost to the deepest part of the barrier!" It wasn't long before the trio was met with a door. It opened, and behind was another door. That opened to reveal another door, and so on for a few more doors, until in front of them stood not a door, but the most bizarre creature Madoka and Sayaka had ever seen. "Look. That's a Witch."

"It feels wrong," Sayaka said. She could feel her skin crawling just by looking at that thing.

"You're going to fight that thing," Madoka asked.

"Don't worry," Mami said confidently. "I won't lose." Her next course of action was to slam the end of Sayaka's baseball-turned-club into the floor, creating some kind of barrier beneath everybody's feet. "Get back!" And down she jumped. Down to combat this Witch.

* * *

**One brief fight scene later…**

Aim, and… "Tiro…Finale!" _BOOM!_ That Witch was done for. And as she faded, so too did the barrier the trio had to navigate to find her in the first place. Mami reached down, and picked up a small black and silver rock. It balanced perfectly on a tip as Mami turned to show Madoka and Sayaka what it was in her hand. "This is a Grief Seed," she explained. "It's a Witch egg."

"A-An egg?"

"If you're lucky, a Witch may drop one for you. It's perfectly harmless like this, so don't worry; it's actually pretty useful. See how my Soul Gem is dimmer compared to yesterday?"

"Now that you mention it…"

"But if I use the Grief Seed…" Mami held the Soul Gem and Grief Seed next to each other, merely inches apart. A black mist-like energy came out of Mami's Soul Gem, and flew over into the Grief Seed, darkening it. "See?"

"It got brighter!"

"And now my magic is renewed. This is the reward I mentioned for destroying a Witch." Best to hang onto it; this Grief Seed still had one use left and there was no telling when Mami may need it in an emergency. "If I still have this one when you two become Puella Magi, I'll let one of you have it. Now then, we still have some business to finish up around here."

"What business? The Witch is destroyed, right?"

"We don't only do that. It's also important to check up on the victims that survive the curse of a Witch's kiss, to ensure that they're okay and such." Looking back at that girl… "Do you two know her?"

"What?"

"I didn't notice it earlier, but that girl was wearing the same uniform as you two. I figured that you two might have the same class, and I decided it was best to ask."

"W-Well, I think so…" It wasn't like Sayaka to remember a new face for a couple of weeks. Sleeping in class can do that sometimes. "Madoka, do we have a new student?"

"A new student," Madoka asked. "…oh! Yes! I almost forgot myself!"

* * *

This girl; this girl who almost died. Red-framed glasses, long braided hair of a purple so dark that one could easily mistake it for black. Yes, there was a new student at Mitakihara, and Madoka had nearly forgotten! The teacher had Madoka show her to the nurse's office shortly after the new student was introduced; she'd been hospitalized with heart disease for some time. The new girl wasn't much of a talker, so Madoka forgot her name over the course of thinking about (and alongside Mami, hunting) Witches. Now would be a good time to figure it out; the girl's purple eyes were just now opening.

"Wh…Where am I? W-Wait…what happened?" Panic set in. "I didn't! I-I mean, I couldn't…"

"Easy," Mami said as the panicking girl gripped her tight. "It was just a bad dream is all. Judging by your uniform, you're a student at Mitakihara, right?"

"Y-Yes. My name is, u-um, Homura Akemi. Pleased to meet you…"

"And I'm Mami Tomoe. The pleasure is shared."

"Sayaka," the blue-eyed girl with the baseball bat said, pointing at herself with her thumb. "You're in our class, right?"

"And you already know me," Madoka said. "Madoka Kaname! You remember where the nurse's office is, right?"

"…yes. Could somebody please explain? I was just walking home and I just…felt the urge to die." Homura blushed some, afraid that none of these people would believe her. "I blacked out, and the next thing I remember is waking up here, just now."

"…"

* * *

**An hour and an explanation later…**

"And you fight those things, Mami?"

"I have to, but even if I did, I would and do fight them with my very life on the line. It's a dangerous kind of work, and if you aren't the kind to exactly be of good health, I don't really recommend it, but it'd be best for you to start considering a wish now, just in case you need to make a contract sometime. What do you want more than anything in the world, Homura?"

"M-Me? Well…"

"You don't have to answer," Mami said happily. Madoka and Sayaka were at their homes, and Kyubey was visiting one of the two; Mami wasn't quite sure which one. That meant it was just her and Homura. "Just remember that Kyubey can grant you any one wish, but the price is a lifetime of fighting Witches. Unless you're willing to accept that price, becoming a Puella Magi isn't for you."

"I'll think about it…but it's getting late. I must be heading home now." Getting up to her feet, Homura bowed politely and said "Thank you for having me over, Mami."

"If you ever need to talk about being a Puella Magi, just find myself or Kyubey."

"…it's real hard," Sayaka said, staring up at her ceiling. "There's so many things in the world I wouldn't mind having, but I'm drawing a blank on anything worth becoming a Puella Magi and having to fight those Witches every day."

"I can't force you," Kyubey said. "It's also against the rules for me to suggest wishes to you. I'm sure Mami could give you some kind of direction, though. The sooner you make the contract, the better. The universe needs you."

"The universe, huh?" …well, _that_ didn't add any pressure or anything!

* * *

**Kyubey, you snake! It's safe to assume he's not about to give the explanation he gave to Madoka in the anime, yes? He won't. If he did, Sayaka would not make a contract, and her making a contract is 100% absolutely and undoubtedly needed in the plot!**

**Also, see what I did with Homura there? Clever, eh? I know Homura fans are gonna be mad if I don't include her, so there's your Homerun-chan, folks. She's gonna stick with us for a few "Episodes" but I don't intend for her to…ahem, gonna shut my mouth now so as to not say what I don't intend, since that would imply what I do intend and therefore could easily give away spoilers.**


	4. Chapter 4: Bitter, Sweet Ending

**Lots of Kyoko in this chapter compared to the last couple, so her fans should try to not lose their heads in excitement!**

**Having said that, I had trouble writing this chapter, but now that it's over, I'll be given a lot more flexibility in terms of plot. A LOT more flexibility. I told the person who helped me fine-tune parts of this, and I paraphrase:**

"**It's just the first few that are going to be tough for me to write. It'll be easier once I get a few things out of the way."**

**Enjoy the modified and original scenes that were so surprisingly tough for my head to process and turn into words, and leave your input so I know what you thought~**

* * *

"Tiro…Finale!" _BANG!_ This fight was over.

"Mami's so cool," Sayaka proclaimed happily, stepping out from behind a bench. She, Madoka, and Homura were there, accompanying Mami on these witch hunts, and in Homura's case, learning just it meant to hunt Witches and to be a Puella Magi. All three of them had yet to make a contract with Kyubey, and all three of them had trouble thinking of just what to wish for.

"That wasn't just for show," Mami said, reverting back out of her Puella Magi costume in a flash of yellow light. "Please remember that we're up against something really dangerous."

"**E-YESS!**"

Something was amiss…Madoka caught it! "There isn't a Grief Seed."

"Yeah, what gives? All the other ones have dropped Grief Seeds, so why is this one different?"

"It's just a Familiar that split off from its Witch," Mami explained. "That's why there's no Grief Seed. However, if you let them be, Familiars can become the same Witch that they split off from, so it's important to deal with them as well. Now then, let's get going." And so the quartet of girls (plus Kyubey made it a quintet) started down a path, Mami keeping an eye on her Soul Gem to see if there were any Witches or Familiars that needed to be destroyed. "Have any of you thought of a wish yet?"

"Uh…" Sayaka was at a loss. "Madoka, do you have anything?"

"Not yet. Homura?"

"No. I always think of something interesting, but then I ask myself if it's really worth having to fight Witches for my entire life, and always come out with it not being quite worth the price."

"Well, this is what happens when you have to suddenly make a decision," Mami said.

"Hey, Mami…" Sayaka needed an answer. She _needed_ this answer. "Do we need to wish for ourselves?"

"Hm?"

"Let's say for example…there's a friend of mine, and he's in a lot more trouble than I am. Could I wish for him instead of me?"

"The contracted person doesn't have to benefit," Kyubey said, hopping from Madoka's shoulder over to Sayaka's. "But if that's the case, you should word your wish extra carefully to make sure it comes true. There was one person who did that before, but…"

"It's not a happy ending," Mami finished for Kyubey. "If you want someone else's dream to come true, you need to make certain that your own wish is even clearer. Sayaka, do you really want his dream to come true? Or do you just want him to thank you for making it happen? They may sound the same, but they're very different."

"It's kind of mean to say that," Sayaka said, obviously more than a little upset at what Mami was telling her.

"Sorry, but I need to tell you now. If you make the wrong decision now, I'm sure you'll regret it later."

* * *

**A couple hours later, after everybody had dispersed…**

Mami found herself back here again. She'd passed through this area a few times to try and find Witches, but aside from the one earlier today, none were around. She just sort of let her feet guide the way; why they kept bringing her back here was beyond her.

"They've got no business making those contracts," said a voice from atop a light post. "You know that, right?"

"I don't recall it being your business to determine what others had no business doing…" This was why Mami kept coming back here; it was fate. Now she was looking up to the Puella Magi that had been hunting Kyubey down these last few days. "Kyoko Sakura."

"Nice to see you remember me," she said, hopping down with a shopping bag full of assorted snacks in her hand. "I've been following you this whole time, you know."

"Hm?"

"For the last couple hours. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't notice me, but I figured sneaking around was worth a shot." Popping open a small container of chips, Kyoko continued "I'm not letting that blue-haired girl make that contract. Magic is something you should only use for yourself, or else you'll wind up with nothing but trouble in your hands, and not even a thank-you."

"Kyubey chose them. If Sayaka wants to make the contract, it's her decision."

"Not while I'm in town." Munching down one of the chips, Kyoko finished "Sayaka making that contract isn't going to give her anything but trouble." At least now Kyoko had a name to work off of. Now Sayaka didn't have to be 'that blue-haired girl' anymore. What a relief.

* * *

**The following day; Mitakihara Hospital…**

"It took us a while to get here. That's pretty rude," Sayaka said, leaving the hospital alongside Madoka. She was here to see Kyosuke, but no such luck. They said to come back tomorrow instead. That was what was pretty rude. It kind of made her mad, too.

But then Madoka stopped walking. "What's going on?" Probably something was bugging her, so Sayaka turned around. She was just looking at the wall. But at what on the wall? Was something…

"Look, there's something here…"

"It's a Grief Seed," Kyubey proclaimed from Madoka's shoulder. "It's about to transform! This is bad. We need to run away quickly! It's about to form its magical barrier!"

"Will there be a maze like last time," Sayaka asked. …idea! "Madoka, do you have Mami's number?"

"No…"

"This is bad. Madoka, go and get Mami right now. I'm going to keep an eye on it."

"That's not going to be necessary," chimed in a third voice from above the hospital entrance. Madoka and Sayaka both turned their eyes toward this third voice; owned by this girl with the blazing crimson eyes and hair of a stunning dark red. Kyoko Sakura. "You two can run along now; I've got this Witch covered."

"…"

"So tell me, Sayaka, who were you talking about last night exactly?"

"!"

"Is he here in this hospital?" A dark grin worked across Kyoko's face. She had a plan, and it was a good one. "Then it'd be a shame if the Witch was allowed to do as she pleased. I'll take her out before she can do anything at all, but I want something in return." Hopping down from her spot, Kyoko switched into her Puella Magi form. "You give me Kyubey, and this Witch is as good as gone."

"You think I'd really trust you to do that?" Sayaka figured that Kyoko would just take Kyubey and run once she had the creature in hand, and let this Witch do whatever she wanted. So it made perfect sense to not trust her. "I'm not accepting that deal. Madoka, go get Mami, _now_!"

"You've been pissing me off ever since I ran into you the other day," Kyoko said, walking right up to Sayaka, the hand holding her spear clenched tightly. "I've warned you plenty of times that I'd cut you down if I had to, and you've already done more than enough for me to be ready to make good on that. I hope you don't have any regrets." The tip of Kyoko's spear was now not even an inch from Sayaka's neck. "Good-"

_BANG!_ Right in the nick of time. Sayaka really should have counted herself lucky that Mami was coming through here. She and Homura had been talking, and she didn't feel quite well, so Mami had offered to bring her to the hospital, and here she stood now, deflecting Kyoko's spear away from Sayaka's throat with a bullet. Perfect timing. As fast as she could, Mami put herself between everybody else and Kyoko, saying "That's enough, Kyoko. Attempting to kill Kyubey is one thing, but taking innocent human lives is something no Puella Magi should _ever_ even attempt, much less almost carry out." Time to use the wonderful ribbons that she used. And once again, with perfect timing; not a second after the Witch's barrier was formed and everybody was brought into its labyrinth. So now Kyoko was tied up in the air amidst cakes and other sugary sweets. "I don't want to hurt you, but I can't promise you won't get hurt."

"Good job, Mami!" Apparently, Sayaka fully approved. "And thanks. I was really scared for my life there for a second."

"Don't worry about it. Now then, let's hunt down this Witch." With that, Mami and the group of Sayaka, Madoka, Homura, and Kyubey turned and started making their way through the labyrinth, leaving Kyoko there to just sit tight and wait for this whole thing to be resolved. She was pretty pissed off that Kyoko had just tried that, though. If Mami hadn't come by when she did, Sayaka and Kyubey would both be dead. How greatly something can change from something so insignificant as the presence or location, or even state, of a single person…the scale of change from what was to what could have been over the tiniest thing amazed Mami when she thought about it…

* * *

**One labyrinth later…**

Finally, they were here. "You all stay back here," Mami said, putting Madoka, Sayaka, Homura, and Kyubey all behind a very large doughnut. Then she looked up to the Witch she was to be fighting. This one was pretty small; not a problem at all! Mami started by destroying the legs to the chair that was holding her up. "I'll take you out quickly today," she said, taking aim as the little Witch began taking flight. One rifle after another was fired at this Witch, eventually hitting true to their mark and knocking her right out of the sky.

This wouldn't last long at all. Putting her foot over the Witch's body (and noting that it was so tiny that her entire foot was the size of its whole body minus the head) Mami delivered one solid bullet to the head to stun it. Now the fight would come to its conclusion, she assured herself as yellow ribbons began lifting the Witch off the ground. Take aim, and… "Tiro…Finale!" _BOOM!_ Success! The Witch was down for…

Before Mami even had time to blink. Now she was staring right into the eyes of something much bigger; a massive black snake-like creature with polka dots and a clown face. And then all she could see were it sharp teeth. So sharp… _CRUNCH!_

* * *

**Get why I mentioned heads earlier now? And Homura's not a Puella Magi, so she can't save the day! Hahahahahaha!**

**There's no way Kyoko can make it through the whole labyrinth in time to save them, so only one thing can happen now. Also, I'm going to bring up something that was apparently forgotten entirely in the next chapter, after Charlotte is downed.**

**The "few things" I mentioned in my start-of-chapter notes were the first three episodes; the light fluff of a dark anime, and the introduction to a twist-heavy fanfic. At about the time of the Oktavia fight, you'll see plot twists come out the woodworks, and her symposium wasn't even made of wood, so you know there's plenty of plot twists just waiting!**

**Now it's time for ME to take over the wheel on the plot; move aside PMMM producers!**

**Also, on a final note, Sayaka's engrish was a last-second edit; it was too cute to not add, and I apologize for even considering replacing it with anything else.**


	5. Chapter 5: Aftermaths and New Beginnings

**I apologize dearly for the delay, but as I said on one of my other recent uploads, I've had a hell of a time connecting to the internet, particularly to fanfiction. The libraries down south here do not display the login page on this site (everything else works) and for the last month or so, the library staff and I have been trying to figure out why it is or if there is a way around it. Just on Saturday, we found a way around it, but since the library is closed on Sunday, I knew it would be Monday at the earliest that this went live.**

**I'm sorry for the wait, and I hope that this chapter was worth the time that I've left you hanging without any excuse ^_^;**

* * *

_Munch munch munch munch__…_

Mami was dead. This Witch was making her its newest snack. Meanwhile, the trio of Madoka, Sayaka, and Homura were trembling in fear.

"Quickly," Kyubey exclaimed. "You need to make a contract before it's too late!"

Sayaka still felt unsure about her wish. Her mind was too jumbled up between that and what she'd just witnessed; she couldn't even make the thought to produce the words.

But there _would_ be a contract made. "I've decided," Homura said, standing up. "My wish…I wish that I won't ever die like Mami. Kyubey, grant my wish!"

"If that's what you want." And in a flash of purple light, Homura's uniform was replaced with a new outfit. A relatively simple one when put next to Mami's or Kyoko's, but that stopped when one got to the gloves on her hands. On one glove was a purple diamond-shaped gem; Homura's Soul Gem. On both that one and the other glove, there was a gray circle on the palm, with lines spiraling outward as though it were some kind of gateway. Indeed it was, as the holes opened up and spat forth two pistols. So these would be Homura's weapons? Pistols? Homura's aim wasn't bad, but she would have to make better shots than usual to save herself, and her friends…

* * *

**Not much later; Back in Mitakihara****…**

Homura picked up the Grief Seed as the Witch's lair started dissolving around the trio. This bizarre realm of cakes, cheese, and other sweets was fading away…and Mami with it. Nobody really wanted to believe that the events that just transpired here were real, but at the same time, all three of them accepted that it was the truth. Mami Tomoe was dead, and her body vanished with the labyrinth. That was why, clutching the Grief Seed even tighter, Homura started crying.

As did Madoka and Sayaka. Mami had been a friend and was like a mentor to all three of them. She'd saved Sayaka and Madoka when they were lost and scared in a Witch's lair, and had rescued Homura from jumping off a building and killing herself because of the influence of a Witch's Kiss. Mami had taught them everything they knew about Puella Magi, Witches, and this entire world that they never realized was right in front of them for their entire lives. And now they'd never see her again…

"You could always wish her back," Kyubey said, waving his tail from one side to the next. "I can grant you any miracle; I said it already. Simply wish to have Mami back if her loss hurts you so much."

"Don't even think about it," another person angrily said. Kyoko Sakura. She. Looked. _Pissed._ _Off!_ "I warned all of you so many times, don't make that contract. So, New Girl, what're you gonna do now? How many Witches have you actually fought before?"

Homura remained silent. All she could really think about right now was Mami's death.

"Hey!" Gripping the dark-purple-haired Puella Magi by her collar, Kyoko said "Answer me!"

"…I…killed that first one, right?"

"Tch. You really think they'll all be that easy? There are way stronger Witches out there in the big bad world of Puella Magi, and they won't stop until you're dead or worse. Although, if nothing else, I've gotta be grateful that you didn't become a Puella Magi over some stupid crap like protecting humans and justice, or for the sake of somebody else."

"Shut up," Sayaka yelled. She wasn't the kind to just sit down and accept what this girl was saying. "Homura didn't do anything wrong!" Sayaka would have gotten the trusty baseball bat she brought with her to every Witch hunt, but it was back home; she hadn't really seen any of this coming. So she settled for running at Kyoko with a fist reared back to try and-

_THUD!_ Tripping people up was too easy if they weren't Puella Magi, evidenced by Kyoko's easy tripping up of Sayaka, landing her on the floor. Not too soon afterward, Homura too found herself getting tripped over by Kyoko's booted feet, with the Grief Seed she held flying up into the air. Kyoko made sure to grab it on its way back down, and with that, made her way away.

"Give it back," Sayaka shouted after her. "That Grief Seed belongs to Mami!"

"…Mami's dead. Quit caring so much about others and learn to accept that." With that, Kyoko leapt up to the nearest rooftop, and started bounding away from one roof to the next.

* * *

**Later; somewhere relatively generic****…**

"Mami should've watched herself out there," Kyoko said to herself, emptying her Soul Gem out on the very Grief Seed she'd taken earlier that day. Maybe those three girls didn't understand how it worked. Mami was dead, and were it not for Mami holding her back, Kyoko would have shown up just in time to save them from becoming Witch-grub just like Mami. If anything, they should have considered the Grief Seed her reward for near-saving their lives. No point in crying over something they couldn't change.

"You were awfully straightforward with them," Kyubey said, popping in unexpectedly. Totally typical for an Incubator. "They seemed hurt, though that didn't seem to stop you."

"Like you're any different. Here, catch." Kyoko tossed the full Grief Seed into the air, letting the Incubator eat it or…whatever it was they did with Grief Seeds. "How long do you think that new girl's going to last? I give her a week, if that."

"Homura may not be strong, but she has determination to carry on, for Sayaka's sake as well as Madoka's. She can last quite some time if she has reason to want to protect them."

"If she has reason?" Stepping up to her feet, Kyoko said "I'd better deal with those _reasons_ then. If the two are Puella Magi, they don't need Homura to protect them anymore. The whole trio is weak, and if one of them's stronger than I think, good for them, she'll get to survive longer than her pals."

"I thought your plan was to come here and hunt me down. Has something changed?"

"People changed."

* * *

**The following day; Mitakihara Middle School, roof****…**

"It's all different," Sayaka said. "Everything seems different. Until yesterday, everything was the same day in and day out, about Hitomi, about school. But now…" But now nobody seemed to remember Mami. Now Homura was a Puella Magi, risking her life to fight Witches because neither Sayaka nor Madoka could make their wishes fast enough. Now the world itself seemed to be twisting in dark ways. Even if it wasn't the case, that was how Sayaka felt. "Do you think, if we made those contracts…maybe we could've saved Mami?"

_Munch._

"!"

"Quit worrying about it," Kyoko said. "Whether you could save her or not doesn't matter if she's already dead. You get it now, right? That's how all Puella Magi end up. Dead, with no sign of even dying. Nobody will remember them. If you want to be a hero of justice or something dumb like that, you'd better look somewhere else." Kyubey wasn't with these two right now. He had to be somewhere else. Probably with that new Puella Magi who was dumb enough to make the contract. "I've got no business with you today." With that, Kyoko turned to leave. If the new Puella Magi wasn't with her two friends, that meant she was hunting Witches. That meant that Kyoko could see her in action. She doubted anything above average would happen, and was actually pretty sure that New Girl would be weaker than most other Puella Magi, but maybe a surprise was waiting for her.

_Grip._

"Huh?"

_SMACK!_ Sayaka had wanted to do that ever since Kyoko first showed up. Bring about the solid connecting of her fist with Kyoko's face. Just doing that made her feel a little better. Until…

_SLAM!_ Sayaka wasn't necessarily weak by any means, but Kyoko was _strong_. There were small cracks in the roof where Sayaka's back had been slammed, and standing above the blue-haired girl was one pissed-off Puella Magi, outfit on body and spear in hand. "Whatever you did just now, don't _ever_ do that again. I'll let you off the hook this time, but just this once. If you ever make that contract, you can expect me to show up." With that, Kyoko leapt off the roof, doing her Puella Magi thing to get from one roof to the next. She had to find the new Puella Magi.

* * *

**Later; Mitakihara Hospital****…**

"I'll be fine," Sayaka insisted, waving off Madoka's continuous worry for her sake. "It just hurts a little is all. Really." In reality, it hurt a lot. She wouldn't say that out loud, though; not in front of Madoka at least, given recent events. One of them had to be tough in the face of these events, and Sayaka was always the first to get tough when somebody had to do it. Mami was dead, Homura was risking her life day in and day out as of late, Madoka and herself were both powerless to help their new friend, and Hitomi was oblivious to it all. As though that weren't enough piled up at once, that Kyoko girl had something especially personal against the trio, it seemed. "Let's go grab something to eat. I'll even buy today." It was rare that Sayaka paid for the food the trio (both the one with Hitomi and the new one with Homura) bought, simply because her wallet wasn't as well-fed as the rest of the group's. Today, she didn't care. Madoka earned it for not completely losing her shit between Mami and the recent scare on the school roof.

"…okay. Where did you have in mind?"

"There's this place a couple blocks from where I live; opened just the other day. I'd been meaning to see what they're like."

* * *

**A diner a couple blocks from Sayaka****'****s place****…**

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, I'm not trying to offend you, ma'am," the waitress nervously said. "It's just exactly what I said; that's an awful lot of food for one person to order alone. Are you certain you're not expecting company?"

_DING!_

"Well, I'll be damned," Kyoko said, looking over at the door of the diner. At that door stood two girls. One had pink hair in twin tails, and it was a tad longer than the hairstyle made it look. The other had blue hair and matching eyes, plainly styled, though she had a bit of a limp in her walk. Probably because just a couple of hours ago, Kyoko had slammed her into a school's roof. New Girl's friends were right there. "Turns out I _am_ having company. Hey, you two! Over here!"

"…" Out of all the words in the vocabulary of the girl looking straight at Kyoko here in the diner - the very diner she and her friend were visiting to _forget_ her - only one word seemed appropriate for the situation. "Shit," Sayaka said.

* * *

**Now I'm REALLY deviating from the plot, making my own stuff up and et cetera. But that's good, since that's what makes a fanfic a fanfic. I suppose if I were to line the events of this fanfic up with those of the canon show, we'd be in the early parts of Episode 4 along the timeline, so one of my favorite fight scenes should start up in the next few chapters, or even the very next one! How should I know? I only write the damn thing XD**

**Somebody once told me I have a knack for combining canon and fanon to create something that works with both (okay, I'm actually twisting his words some) so as long as I keep my head in the game, this might be one of the few fanfics that actually sees its ending. I hope it does, too. I already have an idea of how it'll look Q_Q**


End file.
